SACS Re-Affirmation SACS Re-Affirmation CommitteeCommittee
Donald Franceschetti, Co-Donald Franceschetti, Co-Chair, PhysicsChair, Physics
Daniel Poje, Co-Chair, Daniel Poje, Co-Chair, Academic AffairsAcademic Affairs
William (Bill) Akey, Enrollment William (Bill) Akey, Enrollment ServicesServices
Rosie Bingham, Student Rosie Bingham, Student DevelopmentDevelopment
Carol Crown, ArtCarol Crown, Art Carol Danehower, Carol Danehower,
ManagementManagement Gary Donhardt, Institutional Gary Donhardt, Institutional
ResearchResearch Edwin Frank, University Edwin Frank, University
LibrariesLibraries Jamie Cohen, Grad. Asst., Jamie Cohen, Grad. Asst.,
Counseling PsycCounseling Psyc Mei-Chuan Wang, Grad AsstMei-Chuan Wang, Grad Asst Counseling Psych.Counseling Psych.
Annelle Huggins, Annelle Huggins, University LibrariesUniversity Libraries
Gladius Lewis, Mechanical Gladius Lewis, Mechanical EngineeringEngineering
Tom Stafford, MISTom Stafford, MIS Teresa Hartnett, Academic Teresa Hartnett, Academic
AffairsAffairs David Wark, AUSPDavid Wark, AUSP John Wasileski, Information John Wasileski, Information
SystemsSystems Karen Weddle-West, Karen Weddle-West,
Graduate StudiesGraduate Studies David Zettergren, Business David Zettergren, Business
and Financeand Finance Nancy Hurley, Recording Nancy Hurley, Recording
Secretary/EditorSecretary/Editor Bev Cook, Support StaffBev Cook, Support Staff
Compliance Compliance Documentation (Audit)Documentation (Audit)
Quality Enhancement PlanQuality Enhancement Plan
Compliance Compliance Documentation (Audit)Documentation (Audit)
Core requirements (11 + Core requirements (11 + QEP)QEP)
Comprehensive Comprehensive standards (53)standards (53)
Federal regulations (8)Federal regulations (8)
Preparing the Preparing the Compliance ReportCompliance Report
Four Parts:Four Parts: The StandardThe Standard Judgment of ComplianceJudgment of Compliance NarrativeNarrative DocumentationDocumentation
Judgment of ComplianceJudgment of Compliance
YesYes
NoNo
Conditional (Partially)Conditional (Partially)
CalendarCalendar
September 10, 2004—Compliance September 10, 2004—Compliance reports required to off-site reviewersreports required to off-site reviewers
September 8, 2004– Compliance September 8, 2004– Compliance reports FedExed to off-site reports FedExed to off-site reviewers.reviewers.
Calendar (continued)Calendar (continued)
November 8-10, 2004 —Off-site peer November 8-10, 2004 —Off-site peer reviewreview
December 2004 —phone report by December 2004 —phone report by SACS to Dr. Raines. Possible need for SACS to Dr. Raines. Possible need for focus reports.focus reports.
January 2005 —QEP to SACSJanuary 2005 —QEP to SACS April 2005 —Site Visit by SACS teamApril 2005 —Site Visit by SACS team December 2-6, 2005—Commission on December 2-6, 2005—Commission on
colleges reviewcolleges review
Lessons Learned from Lessons Learned from Certification of ComplianceCertification of Compliance
Challenge areas:Challenge areas: Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning Faculty RecordsFaculty Records EvaluationEvaluation
Most everything needed exists, but not Most everything needed exists, but not perfectly integrated.perfectly integrated.
Should be easier to pull togetherShould be easier to pull together Should maintain on an on-going basisShould maintain on an on-going basis
AlsoAlso
Need to update Policies and Need to update Policies and Procedures more frequently.Procedures more frequently.
Faculty should be more aware of Faculty should be more aware of quality of staff in non-academic and quality of staff in non-academic and administrative areas.administrative areas.
Quality Enhancement Quality Enhancement PlanPlan
““The QEP describes a carefully The QEP describes a carefully designed and focused course of action designed and focused course of action that addresses a well-defined topic or that addresses a well-defined topic or issue(s) related to enhancing student issue(s) related to enhancing student learning.”learning.”
(Handbook for Reaffirmation of (Handbook for Reaffirmation of Accreditation p. 21)Accreditation p. 21)
QEP Selection CommitteeQEP Selection CommitteeJanuary – March 2004January – March 2004
Academic AffairsAcademic Affairs AlumniAlumni Faculty SenateFaculty Senate Information TechnologyInformation Technology Staff SenateStaff Senate Student AffairsStudent Affairs University LibrariesUniversity Libraries
QEP Development QEP Development CommitteeCommittee
May 2004 - PresentMay 2004 - Present
Faculty from each CollegeFaculty from each College Academic AffairsAcademic Affairs Student AffairsStudent Affairs University LibrariesUniversity Libraries
QEP Selection QEP Selection CommitteeCommittee
Each member of the QEP Selection Each member of the QEP Selection Committee surveyed and/or Committee surveyed and/or interviewed 5-10 colleagues and interviewed 5-10 colleagues and students on ways to enhance student students on ways to enhance student learning.learning.
QEP Selection QEP Selection CommitteeCommittee
The committee studied responses The committee studied responses from the:from the:
Faculty SenateFaculty Senate
Staff SenateStaff Senate
President President
ProvostProvost
QEP Selection QEP Selection CommitteeCommittee
The Committee reviewed QEPs from:The Committee reviewed QEPs from:
Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University
QEP Selection QEP Selection CommitteeCommittee
The Committee reviewed and The Committee reviewed and analyzed the results of the following analyzed the results of the following University studies:University studies:
Alumni SurveyAlumni Survey
Enrolled Student SurveyEnrolled Student Survey
Graduating Senior SurveyGraduating Senior Survey
National Survey of Student National Survey of Student EngagementEngagement
56% of all seniors never participated 56% of all seniors never participated in a community-based project as part in a community-based project as part of a courseof a course
72% of UofM seniors never 72% of UofM seniors never participated in a community based participated in a community based project as part of a courseproject as part of a course
Regional Employers Focus Regional Employers Focus GroupGroup
Employers noted the need for Employers noted the need for graduates to demonstrate:graduates to demonstrate:
Strong communication skillsStrong communication skills
Academic proficiencyAcademic proficiency
Ability to work as a team Ability to work as a team membermember
Experience as an internExperience as an intern
The UofM Undergraduate The UofM Undergraduate Curriculum Task ForceCurriculum Task Force
In Spring 2004, recommendations from In Spring 2004, recommendations from the Task Force were passed by the the Task Force were passed by the Faculty Senate urging the University to:Faculty Senate urging the University to:
Collect and disseminate internship best Collect and disseminate internship best practices, both nationally and locally, practices, both nationally and locally, with a view to promoting more service with a view to promoting more service learning learning
Encourage more undergraduate researchEncourage more undergraduate research
QEP FocusQEP Focus
The QEP Selection Committee chose The QEP Selection Committee chose to focus on engaged learning by to focus on engaged learning by recommending that the University:recommending that the University:
Strengthen incoming students’ core Strengthen incoming students’ core academic skillsacademic skills
Provide a variety of out of classroom Provide a variety of out of classroom academic experiences for upper academic experiences for upper division studentsdivision students
The QEP Development The QEP Development CommitteeCommittee
Reviewed and analyzed the results Reviewed and analyzed the results of the Georgia State University of the Georgia State University Freshman Learning CommunitiesFreshman Learning Communities
Commuter StudentsCommuter Students Diverse Student PopulationDiverse Student Population Urban Research UniversityUrban Research University Lottery ScholarshipsLottery Scholarships
Georgia State University Georgia State University Freshman Learning Freshman Learning
CommunitiesCommunities The initial academic improvement of the The initial academic improvement of the
Georgia State University students in Georgia State University students in Freshman Learning Communities was not Freshman Learning Communities was not sustained at a statistically significant level sustained at a statistically significant level through graduation. through graduation.
The QEP Committee believes that The QEP Committee believes that continuing support for engaged learning continuing support for engaged learning throughout the undergraduate experience throughout the undergraduate experience is essential.is essential.
The QEP Development The QEP Development CommitteeCommittee
Reviewed and analyzed the results of Reviewed and analyzed the results of studies focusing on best practices in studies focusing on best practices in higher education:higher education:
Academic Core (English, Math, Academic Core (English, Math, Communication)Communication)
Experiential Education (Study Experiential Education (Study Abroad, Internships, Service Abroad, Internships, Service Learning, Undergraduate Research)Learning, Undergraduate Research)
American Association of American Association of Colleges and UniversitiesColleges and Universities
Report for 21Report for 21stst Century Century Liberal education for the new century looks beyond Liberal education for the new century looks beyond
the campus to the issues of society and the the campus to the issues of society and the workplace. It aims to produce global thinkers. workplace. It aims to produce global thinkers. Quality liberal education prepares students for active Quality liberal education prepares students for active participation in the private and public sectors, in a participation in the private and public sectors, in a diverse democracy and in an even more diverse diverse democracy and in an even more diverse global community.global community.
Education has the strongest impact when studies Education has the strongest impact when studies reach beyond the classroom to the larger community, reach beyond the classroom to the larger community, asking students to apply their developing analytical asking students to apply their developing analytical skills and ethical judgment to concrete problems in skills and ethical judgment to concrete problems in the world around them, and to connect theory with the world around them, and to connect theory with the insights gained from practicethe insights gained from practice..
http://www.greaterexpectations.org/http://www.greaterexpectations.org/
Engaged LearningEngaged Learning
The QEP is designed to support The QEP is designed to support engaged learning through:engaged learning through:
1. Learning Communities1. Learning CommunitiesACAD 1100ACAD 1100ENGL 1010ENGL 1010MATH 1410MATH 1410COMM 2381COMM 2381
Engaged LearningEngaged Learning
The QEP is designed to support The QEP is designed to support engagedengaged
learning through:learning through:
2. formal and informal opportunities to 2. formal and informal opportunities to maintain meaningful connections maintain meaningful connections between academic work and extra between academic work and extra curricular activities (e.g. co-curricular curricular activities (e.g. co-curricular transcripts)transcripts)
Engaged LearningEngaged Learning
The QEP is designed to support The QEP is designed to support engaged learning through:engaged learning through:
3. Experiential Education3. Experiential EducationService LearningService LearningUndergraduate ResearchUndergraduate ResearchStudy AbroadStudy AbroadInternshipsInternships
The QEP GoalThe QEP Goal
The QEP Goal is to increase student engagement The QEP Goal is to increase student engagement and therefore learning through:and therefore learning through:
1.1. an enhanced program of orientation to the an enhanced program of orientation to the University and its resources with both formal University and its resources with both formal (ACAD 1100) and informal components(ACAD 1100) and informal components
2.2. offering more incoming freshmen the offering more incoming freshmen the opportunity to study as a part of learning opportunity to study as a part of learning communities organized around areas of communities organized around areas of student interest commensurate with the student interest commensurate with the University missionUniversity mission
QEP Goals, cont.QEP Goals, cont.
3.3. guidance which fosters the strengthening of guidance which fosters the strengthening of core academic skills (oral and written core academic skills (oral and written expression, critical thinking and mathematical expression, critical thinking and mathematical skills) which subsequent instruction will build skills) which subsequent instruction will build upon upon
4.4. opportunities to assess the connection between opportunities to assess the connection between academic work, extra curricular activities, and academic work, extra curricular activities, and the students’ present and future roles in the the students’ present and future roles in the communitycommunity
5.5. a variety of beyond the classroom activities that a variety of beyond the classroom activities that prepare the students for their roles beyond prepare the students for their roles beyond graduation and which connect back to the graduation and which connect back to the preparation of subsequent cohorts of studentspreparation of subsequent cohorts of students
The UofM StrengthsThe UofM Strengths
The QEP is consistent with the University The QEP is consistent with the University Mission to provide high quality learning Mission to provide high quality learning opportunities for a diverse student opportunities for a diverse student population.population.
The QEP is designed to capitalize on the The QEP is designed to capitalize on the University’s location in a complex University’s location in a complex metropolitan community which provides metropolitan community which provides unique opportunities to recruit, retain, unique opportunities to recruit, retain, and prepare students. and prepare students.
Under ConstructionUnder Construction
The QEP Implementation Plan shouldThe QEP Implementation Plan should
allocate sufficient financial and human allocate sufficient financial and human resources to support and sustain the plan. resources to support and sustain the plan.
The QEP Evaluation Plan shouldThe QEP Evaluation Plan should
incorporate evaluation findings into the incorporate evaluation findings into the ongoing enhancement of the University.ongoing enhancement of the University.